Mistletoe
by JustLittle0ldMe
Summary: [KakaIru] Deep brown eyes glanced upwards to the top of the doorway and as Iruka returned his gaze back to Kakashi's now uncovered face, a soft smile spread across his cheeks; mirroring Kakashi's own.


Iruka scratched his head and sighed at the amount of exam papers he had yet to grade. Although his students had left hours ago to begin the Christmas celebrations with their friends and families, Iruka had stayed in order to finish the last of his marking; he found it extremely difficult to will his mind and body to relax when there was unfinished work to attend to. Hence the reason he was battling through the tower of never-ending assessments and slowly losing a slither of his will to continue after each one was complete. Even though he loved his students dearly he was sick of teaching and the horrors that accompanied the job for one day. He was hungry, tired and the beginnings of a headache had begun to set in, yet Iruka gritted his teeth and ploughed on; he could not allow himself to unwind until he had marked the very last paper. That was just an undeniable part of his personality. He needed to finish the work set out for him. If he did not, the notion of an incomplete task would settle and burrow in the recesses of his mind, like a termite, until he could not bear the niddling any longer and spoilt his holiday with the school work he was meant to be avoiding.

Iruka refused to have it come to that. It was not fair on him, nor was it fair on the silver haired Jounin who had been especially looking forward to this Christmas with Iruka, the first Christmas in a rather long period of time in which he was not alone.

Kakashi had moved in with Iruka six months previously and it was to be their first Christmas as an official couple, needless to say both were looking forward to the prospect of having a partner and lover to share it with. Iruka smiled at the very thought and it only made him more determined to finish the sheets piled high on top of his desk.

Kakashi had requested a few days off of mission duty a day prior and was most probably waiting at home for Iruka to arrive so that they could decorate their home in tinsel and baubles and stockings together. The very idea of the man he loved so dearly, waiting for him alone in a small house surrounded by deafening silence made guilt pool in his stomach. He knew Kakashi hated to be alone, especially at this time of year and Iruka felt quite selfish knowing that he had purposefully stayed to finish his remaining work.

As he continued with marking the papers, Iruka was lost within his own thoughts of Christmas lights and eggnog and mistletoe with Kakashi leaning against the wall underneath. He did not realize that someone had entered the room and was standing lazily behind him, nor did he sense their familiar chakra signal until the person had already spoken in his drawn out, playful voice.

"Shouldn't you have left by now Sensei?"

Flinching slightly at the shattered silence, Iruka turned to look behind him and was somewhat startled to see Kakashi's slouched form; he knew sooner or later the Jounin would come looking for him, wondering where Iruka had gotten to and why he was late, he just didn't think that it would be so soon.

A sheepish look overtook his features. "Ahh…Sorry, Kakashi. I got a bit too caught up in my marking. I only have a few more papers before I'm finished."

Kakashi hummed in acknowledgement and slowly walked around to the side of Iruka's desk that was clear, he leaned against the side of it casually and turned his head to regard Iruka with the dark eye that was free from confinement and open.

Flushing slightly at the gaze that was focused so intently upon him, Iruka broke eye contact and returned his gaze to the last of his papers. He decided not to tell his lover about the rest of the paperwork he had yet to begin that lay abandoned in the side draw of his desk; Iruka felt guilty enough already at having kept Kakashi waiting.

A comfortable silence enveloped them both; with only the scratching of Iruka's pen disturbing its calm surface.

Kakashi's gaze was soft as he watched Iruka work; the small furrow between his brows as his eyes flittered across the words scribed on the pages, the small smile that graced his face when he read a particular answer and the nibble of his bottom lip when he could not decide what grade an exam required. He loved all of them. Iruka's actions and his expressions and his tiny habits that only someone close to him would pick up on. The Chunnin fascinated him in absolutely everything he did, no matter how miniscule the task was.

Realizing he had been lost in his own little world Kakashi was brought back by a small sigh and Iruka stretching as he stood from his chair.

"Finally done…Shall we go home? I've been looking forward to putting the decorations up all day." Iruka grinned and made his way to Kakashi's side.

"Hmm. So have I." Kakashi said before discreetly sliding his hand into Iruka's own. His visible eye crinkled as he caught sight of the small blush that spread across Iruka's cheeks; even though they had been together for almost a year and lived together for six out of them 12 months, on the odd occasion Iruka still became flustered. It was mainly whenever the situation involved showing affection in public places where anyone could see; Kakashi had already accepted it as one of Iruka's endearing reactions to his advances. Iruka's scar pulled at the edges as he gave a small grin in Kakashi's direction.

Walking towards the door together, something caught Kakashi's attention from the corner of his eye and, unknown to Iruka, his warm expression turned mischievous underneath his mask. In the blink of an eye Kakashi had pulled Iruka towards him so that they were facing each other beneath the doorway.

"Kakashi, what are y –"Iruka began before he was cut off by Kakashi's finger being placed on his lips.

"Shh…look up." Kakashi said softly.

Deep brown eyes glanced upward to the top of the doorway and as he returned his gaze back to Kakashi's now uncovered face, a soft smile spread across his cheeks; mirroring Kakashi's own.

"Always the romantic," he said affectionately against Kakashi's finger.

Moving his hand from in front of Iruka's face to the back of his head, Kakashi played with the hair tie that was situated in Iruka's hair; twisting and turning and tugging the loose end between his fingers before he leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

Iruka reciprocated the action and pushed forwards against Kakashi, raising both hands to lie on his green Jounin vest. It was not like fireworks. Nor could Iruka compare it to how countless romance novels and fairy tales described it, sparks did not fly between them and electricity did not pass from one man to the other. Instead it was like a glowing candle, starting off slow and growing in intensity and passion; it was warm and soft and deep and sincere, edged with so much emotion that the flame between them only increased tenfold. Both ninja were vulnerable in this particular situation and the very connection of lips was viewed as the most intimate of actions; presenting their love openly in one smooth movement.

As they broke apart, Iruka slightly breathless and flushed, Kakashi gave a small grin, oh so glad that someone had decided to place mistletoe above the entrance to Iruka's classroom; he moved his lips to Iruka's ear and his breath tickled the Chunnin's skin.

"Merry Christmas Iruka," he murmured.


End file.
